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jackson64

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Journal Entries posted by jackson64

  1. jackson64

    I'm Still Around

    By jackson64,

    Other hobbies but there's always coins...
    Well I haven't gone anywhere. I know that I haven't journaled in quite a while but I have still been busy with the hobby and also reading the posts by others.
    Besides this time of year and the demands on my time by other hobbies--Stanley Cup Playoffs time, opening of Rockfish season in the Bay, getting my early spring veggies in the ground ( snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower etc)..add the stresses of work, family and my first grandbaby ( my beautiful granddaughter whom I adore) and although I've continued with my numismatic pursuits, I have not had any time to keep my friends here abreast.
    I almost wrote last weekend after reading Kerry and Dan's journals because of the coincidences. You see, recently I had gone down to a local antique shop where there is a small area with a bunch of coins in a case to see what might be there. I was actually speculating to see if any of the items that were once a bit overpriced might now be more reasonable with the rising silver costs. As luck had it I ended up finding some lower grade Walkers and early commems for about $10 each, and also about 30 of the Ike blue packs for $7 each. I bought everything they had that was below melt, sold the Ikes on ebay for enough profit that I got to keep 11 free Walker halves.
    The other post that got me wanting to write was mention of the Stacks/Bowers Auction at the Baltimore -Whitman Coin Expo. I also attended and I actually found and won an upgrade for my Walker Short Set. About a month ago I spent a pretty penny on an MS67 1947 upgrade for the set ( I actually increased my points by 1700+ but stayed in 12th place). Well this time I bought a 1942-D MS67 and (for now) this will put me up into 11th place--at least until CBC gets his next upgrade ( we've been jockeying back and forth for over a year now).
    So that's mostly it..only 2 coin purchases of note and I'm still adding rolls of silver bullion to my holdings. Even at $40 an ounce I believe that there is still some upward movement ahead before things level off--but don't take this as any prognostication, I could be wrong and I also plan on holding onto my buys for a long while.
    Anyhow, that's about it..glad to see so many newer collectors bringing their enthusiasm to the hobby, good luck and happy hunting everyone--here's a picture of my 1942-D ( I haven't added it to my set since it's not yet in hand)..

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  2. jackson64
    sometimes patience is forced upon you..
    Several times over the past year I have seen a coin at auction that I REALLY wanted. I'm sure many of you can relate. For me it is usually a coin that fits my signature set of ship coins. I usually was not even aware of the coins existence, but once I see it at auction-whether from the big auction houses or even ebay- I become enamored. I can already picture how great it's going to look in my set.
    However, it doesn't always work out. Most of the time I'm unsure of its value and underbid or get sniped at the end of auction. THEN the quest begins...I look high and low for another one, world coin dealers, ebay, every auction house..even emailing people and asking if they have seen one. On 3 recent occasions I have ended up finding the coin and paying much less for it than my auction bid...and as 70% less than the winning bidder paid.
    I guess the lesson I should learn is that I need to curb my impulsiveness and when I see a coin I really like--research it and hunt for a cheaper example. I have started a list of coins that I would REALLY like and now I spend time looking specifically for these coins--like hidden treasures--in some dealers bargain bin.
    Here is the latest example of my HUNTING EXPEDITION....This coin is part of an 8-12 piece set that the Royal Mint has made for Bermuda honoring the ships wrecked in the Bermuda Triangle. Each coin is triangular {really cool} and has a different ship inlaid with gold. Unfortunately they are sold by the set and many of the coins have steam ships or military ships---and I collect SAILING ships. I hunted high and low for this coin and finally came across a phone # for a US distributor of Royal Mint coins. After a bit of convincing, they agreed to sell me the single coin with the Constellation on it...it just arrived today and is everything I had hoped...and worth all of the effort....and maybe even a little sweeter since I had to work to find her.
     
    PS: I have just added 15 coins to my High Seas signature Set...I got the coins back from NGC late this week and they are all listed with photos {page 6 of the set gallery} but the descriptions will take a while since I need to research some of the ships/explorers/histories that are depicted on the coins..

  3. jackson64
    almost 3,000 ebay transactions, never a negative experience
    Far be it from me to defend ebay. I was not pleased with their paypal only stance and definitely not with the blind eye they turn to Powersellers who live by a different set of rules.
    However, if you're gonna complain, at least complain about the right things...
    First, ....99c listings. Are you aware that it costs extra money for varying increments, once a start bid is above $1 for a seller? The 99c start bid is very easy to explain, the seller is not trying to insinuate that he's selling for 99c--they are simply setting the highest start bid without paying an extra fee--just plain smart business.
    Secondly, "who bids on 99c items?" Actually, I do. Not that I hope to win an item for 99c. What my bid does do however is put the item on my active "Bidding" list. If you set your preferences correctly, you'll even get emails letting you know that an item you bid on is ending soon. I can't tell you how many times that I used to put items on my watch list and forget to check and then the auction ends and the coin sold for well less than I was willing to pay...so again, a small, low-ball bid to get updates and notifications about an item you'd like to win at the auction's end is SMART business.
    Now, thirdly...I list any sale I make with free shipping..but it doesn't preclude me bidding on an item that charges shipping..I just subtract the shipping cost from the max I'm willing to bid..same difference. Let me ask..how much do you think it costs to mail a proof set?
    Well, the small USPS Priority Mail box has a Flat Rate of $4.95. I also have invested the time for labeling, the cost of bubble wrap and an 8-mile trip to the post office each way here in the country..add a few more bucks for gas...and if someone has a complaint about a $3-4 postage and handling fee they are kidding themselves.
    Most auction companies charge $10-20 to ship an item that they already charged you a 15% buyers fee on. Heck, even NGC charges $20+ to RETURN a little 5 coin submission..this is after you had to pay to mail it to them--essentially you pay both ways..
    I've had over 3000+ buys and sells on ebay. I've never not gotten an item and the few times that I was not happy-I've always gotten a refund or offer of a partial money return and keep the item. My sellers feedback is 1297 with 100% positive. I treat people with respect. If they are unhappy for any reason--even buyer regret--I return all of their money without question. In fact, I often throw in small bonus coins or nice notes of thanks.
    Some tips for ebaying,
    I have a growing list of "Favorite Sellers", people who have treated me well, sold me better than I thought coins, or just had good communication..this helps a lot to avoid getting involved with shady dealers..but in the end, we must be educated about our hobby. Don't bid on grainy photos..read the return policy..don't buy from overseas sellers..if a great coin is selling cheap, you probably missed something that everyone else picked up on..check feedback..look at their auction history...lots of common sense tools
    Good luck on your bidding everyone, I hope this helped alleviate some of the "feeling insulted" some expressed..now that you understand that there is no alternative motive--just simple tricks to avoid fees and tools for remembering coins you'd like to win..
    A recent ebay win..I sent the seller a note and he chopped off $50 from his BIN price, then I used $80 of ebay bucks/coupons so this $350 coin cost only $220..MS67FSB..I'm sure it would be a star too if it were in an NGC slab..

  4. jackson64
    beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
    I'm sure that most serious collectors realize that grading is an imperfect science, the system of using multiple graders and taking the average is probably as effective as it can get. Grading standards have changed over time--a PCGS coin in an old rattler or green label usually has a much higher chance at an upgrade than other coins.
    Well my journal is supposed to be about my collecting experience..the bad as well as the good. My luck has been down lately, and I may as well record it here to keep me grounded during the good times....Here's what happened....
    About a year ago I purchased a coin from American Numismatic Rarities for $1700..the list was $1500, but the auction listing stated the coin looked easily 1-2 spots undergraded. The coin was an MS62-trends at $1500..a MS63 jumps to $2500 and an MS64 jumps to $7500!!
    After the coin arrived I was ecstatic--it was even nicer than the photos in the catalog. I studied auction histories of major coin Auctioneers and had not even seen an MS64 close to the detailed strike, mint luster and very few contact marks...I was sure mine would go at LEAST 64!! I sent it away with 4 others to NGC for a regrade. All 5 coins came back just as I sent them away {no explanation..duh..} I was just a $100+ shorter in my funds. Well, I thought that maybe the other 4 coins may have been borderline and my MS62/4 was just quickly perused...so I sent it in again alone..$70+ later it came back again in its same holder. I ran a poll of friends and asked them to grade it {showing only the coin}..9 said 64, 2 said 65 and 1 said 63...
    I was getting frustrated at this point, mostly everytime I saw an inferior coin graded higher and decided I would take it to my local dealer to have him look...he was impressed, said it was VERY PQ for the grade and offered me $2000...after a brief pause I sold it and washed my hands of the thing.
    The story doesn't end there...about a month later the dealer called me and told me he was sending me a check for $500..when IU asked why he told me that he had decided to crack out the coin and re-submit it..his result?..MS64 worth $7500!!! Although pleased with his gesture {I can't say that I have ever given a dealer back money when a PQ buy got upgraded to a higher value} I almost wish he hadn't told me. Well I guess..No Guts No Glory..I was afraid to crack out a coin I had paid $1700 for...
    Finally, about 2 weeks ago I purchased a superbly toned Roanoke Half Commem..with eye-popping luster still coming through..graded MS67 by one of the big 2 grading companies {not NGC}...this coin sells for about $1000 in MS67 and skyrockets to over $10,000 in MS68 {some have sold for over $40,000!!} anyhow, I took the chance and cracked it out..I mean the potential benefits could far outweigh the cost, right? At worst I figured I would get an MS66..hopefully I was betting on an MS67*-star coin..and wishing to finally "hit a big one" and get a 68 or 68*. Three days ago I received my coin back----bodybagged as artificially toned??? $%^&*&$@#...man oh man..it has taken me 3 days to calm myself enough to write this...
    Anyhow, I'm not sure what the lesson is..don't send in crack outs?..don't try for upgrades?..submit 100 coins at a time?...I have now sent close to 100 coins in and have only gotten 2 upgrades, both on ANACS graded coins..
    Maybe in the end the thousands of hours I have spent studying the hobby, looking at coins in hand, in catalogs, on websites and at auction..I have not learned how to judge the quality of a coin. I subscribe to weekly publications, monthly publications and have around 15 books on various series..
    In the end I think I will go back to doing what I have done for most of my collecting life..buy 65's in 64 holders and PF69 moderns that look perfect to the naked eye and be happy with the fact that my coins are PQ and pleasing to me..
    But what to do now with this very pleasing coin that has just been bodybagged???
    [attachment=:name]
  5. jackson64
    To increase the scope and variety of the themed set.
    I have decided one of my new parameters for my 2017 collecting. The Bear-coin themed Custom Set has been a lot of fun and there are still quite a few available to add to set the set that I have seen on World Coin sellers websites and ebay- but unless I want another 100 variations of pandas or polar bears ( or decide to add the koalas as bears) there is not a lot of variety. One thing I enjoy is finding the coins from diverse nations so that adds a little bit of thrill when I can find a cool example from Kazakhstan, Armenia or Turkey for example.
    Otherwise, I feel the interest in this set waning. Even if it will be a set that will eventually be left to my granddaughter--the cost of the coins from these nations across the world and slabbing fees make it often impractical to buy, ship multiple times and slab a $50 value coin.
    The 2017 expansion of adding Lions and Tigers will assist me in finding many pre-slabbed coins, as well as a lot of variety.
    The tiger themed coins range from many Southeast Asian coins, special "endangered species" coins and of course about 5 countries that produce the Lunar Coins.
    Lion themed coins could easily be a several hundred coin set by itself. African coins, Canadian mountain lions and of course lots of older coins with the heraldic lion appear on coins for centuries and across the globe.
    So as the new collecting year arrives, for now my goals will be simple--acquire the annual 2017 issue of the 2 or 3 modern coin series I collect, find my final 3 or 4 Indian cents, 3 SLQ's and mostly I will be developing the bear-themed set into something more creative and energetic--better descriptions, factoids and tidbits for each coin.
    Here are a few of my early pick-ups which will be added to the set ( I particularly like the 2 oz British Crown with the heraldic lion which is pretty cheap right now with bullion down.)
    Happy hunting everyone and Merry Christmas to all.

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  6. jackson64

    In Defense of NGC

    By jackson64,

    A picture is worth 1000 words
    Let me say first of all that I have had my issues with NGC. In a hobby where a subjective opinion (eye appeal is 1/4th of grade consideration) can mean the difference in a one point grade change and hence THOUSANDS of dollars, it can be quite frustrating when my taste or what appeals to my eye seems to differ from the graders. My coin comes back MS66 worth $400 and it looks like an MS67 $4000 coin to me. After a day of shrugging off the disappointment, I just live with it. I still have a coin that reflects my tastes and I probably wasn't gonna sell it anyhow, so why get worked up?
    Bodybags...when I see my grades posted I'm always disappointed to get an ungraded coin sent back. The fact is, I paid for their professional opinion ( includes receiving & shipping clerks, warehouse people, coin handlers, computer personelle, secrataries and graders etc) if my coin does not meet the criteria for their quality standards, then it gets sent back with an explanation. I can honestly say that about 95-99% of the time they are right and saw something I missed. By the way, since I have bought a 20X loupe and bought a numismatic library to further educate myself on coins..I have had only 1 bodybag in the last 3 years !!
    Quality Control....we live in an imperfect world and once in a while the flaws come our way. I'm amazed that with a company that encapsulates 100's of thousands of coins annually that they are as efficient as they are. We also must keep in mind who is ultimately at fault. NGC does not own a plastics shoppe. A lacking bevel or mis-sized label is an error in the production and QC of their supplier. If they had to visually inspect every slab and insert that was sent to them, we'd be lucky to get our coins back in 6 months !!
    Professionalism...I have had 3 coins out of hundreds that had problems that were undoubtedly NGC's fault. One was a spelling error and the other 2 were foreign gold coins that had the wrong mintmark. I WENT TO THE PROPER FORUM..I called them and spoke with some thoroughly professional and apologetic individuals on the phone. The situation was rectified without costing me a penny..I simply mailed them back with a submission, they fixed the labels and re-holdered them without charge and mailed them back to me with my graded submission...
    I know that many who write in the journals are relatively new collectors and I really enjoy reading your posts. The enthusiasm and joy at your new acquisitions is contagious and keeps my own personal passion for the hobby alive. If I may be so bold, a few suggestions?
    an old, old saying in the hobby: Buy the book before you buy the coin. Measure the upside and downside of a coin before you submit...if a coin is likely to grade 68 or 69 and have a value of $25-30, why would you pay $15 to get it slabbed? You'd have to own it 20 years for that coin's value to jump to $45.
    Also, I highly recommend to everyone to go to the NGC Chat Boards and ask questions. There are dozens of lifetime collectors who are always willing to advise and teach..many Big Auction dealers, owners of legendary collections and even former graders....the value of the knowledge they share can literally be seen in your collections value and the money you save avoiding common mistakes...
    I hope nobody takes any offense from this, I enjoy all of you here in the community..I'd hate to see you get frustrated and give up on a hobby that you've enjoyed so much without first getting a different perspective....as always, Happy Hunting...

  7. jackson64
    I am not going to post a long journal full of virtue-signaling and fake compassion. I just wanted to extend a heartfelt message to all of the Coin collecting community who lives in the Houston area and the state of Florida. I especially wish to extend my hopes that all of those at NGC and their families in Sarasota stay safe throughout this ordeal.
    Submission tracking, guff with grades and mislabeled holders have a way of becoming trivial and returned to their proper level of unimportance at times like these.
    Again, my thoughts and prayers to all of you.
  8. jackson64
    Design, Toning, Patina and RD vs BN
    We are all unique in our tastes. We may share a common taste for many of the same things-such as coins/medals in general-but what we find appealing is divergent.
    I could write a book on all of the different ways that numismatists collect-series, by date, by color, type, one of each, by mint, by medal, theme, country etc etc etc...but we all have our style and preferences.
    I have assembled sets by theme which have hundreds of coins--and other times I collect a series by "short set" because I don't want to invest the money, time and effort into assembling every issue and mintmark of the same design.
    My most recent short sets were of the 1900's Barber Halves in VF/XF and then the Buffalo nickels 1934-1938 in MS66 and above.
    Having finished those sets, removed from the registry and set aside, I now have begun 2 more. The SLQ One-Per-Date set is a registry category but I added my own parameters again in that they all must be AU grade.
    The other set I am building was an Indian Head Cent Short Set. I initially set it for just the 1900's coins but have since decided to extend it from 1890 thru 1909 as I am enjoying the collecting of the varied looks of the coin and the parameters I set to increase the challenge is still somewhat easy in our internet age. All coins must be MS64 and all must be "BROWN."
    Why brown? The truth is, I am just weird and the appearance of bright red/orange copper is less attractive to my eye than the deep chocolates, purples, wood grained look and/or depth of design that an aged looking copper coin has.
    On the plus side is that the browns most often cost about 1/3rd of the price of a RED, but often I end up with a coin with "exceptional eye appeal" and end up forking out more for my coins than your plain brown examples.
    So if I can find a coin in the look I prefer and at a lower cost, for me that is a win/win and if my collecting choices don't jibe with someone else's --then good, less competition for the coin's I'm hunting.
    The latest addition--an 1891 MS64 BN....Happy Hunting everyone

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  9. jackson64
    sometimes the registry points don't reflect the better, rarer or higher value coin
    I'll keep this short as I know the excitement over the arrival of the ASE's sets and subsequent grading results has been the big focus of interest for the past month. After a self-imposed buying moratorium for the past 6+ weeks I had won 3 items at the Stacks/Bowers auction in Nov here in Maryland ( Baltimore).
    I finally upgraded my 1941 Walker to an MS67 - the MS66 that filled the slot is not going anywhere though, sorry. I also won a coin that puts me in an interesting spot.
    I won a gorgeously colored 1944 MS68 Mercury dime. My mercury set is an MS67 set until now and the slot has an MS67FB coin in it. My newest addition does not have FB's but is an MS68 which is actually much rarer than even the scarce MS67FB. The registry ( just in my personal opinion) has not given the proper consideration for the higher grade MS68's in the Mercury series. For almost every date-especially within the short set- the MS68's have lower pops than their MS67FB counterparts ( the 44-S date is no exception.)
    Well the point difference is negligible although the 68 cost roughly 2x that of the 67FB ( but this is also probably largely in part because of the fierce bidding for this coin because of its eye-appeal).
    So after waiting and ruminating for about 2 weeks I've decided to go with the uniquely toned and appearing MS68 over my better struck and satiny MS67FB which to many would be "just another blast white gem".
    I'll leave my 67FB in the set for comparison purposes but I'd be interested in what others might have chosen in this situation. Higher points and better struck or distinctive eye appeal with higher grade but lower points?

  10. jackson64
    hoping my perspective is not skewed.....
    I'll keep this one short........ I visited the Stacks-Bowers webpage on Thursday evening when I got home to see if I had won a coin that I had put a healthy bid on. I see 1945-D Walker MS67's here and there, it is not a conditional rarity at MS67. This coin though is not your average 67 ( at least for the "look" that I like in a Walker). Bold strike, satiny luster which pops through some lavender and rose blush fields, and just a bit of rainbow around the rims-- a unique coin that stands out from the dozens and dozens of blast white ones. ( I like blast white also but I try and find "unique" coins that stand out).
    Well the internet bidding had ended earlier and the floor bidding had just finished-- I HAD WON !! but here's the best part, ...I actually won for almost $500 less than my max bid !!! ( and if someone here was the consignor, then I apologize for my exuberance).
    Soooooo..what does a true coin nut do when he wins a coin for $500 less than he was willing to pay? Why of course he simply starts looking through the lots whose bidding hasn't closed yet ! Yep, that $500 in my twisted thinking was money I could buy another coin with--not $500 saved. Funny thing is, I ended up spending more than $500 because I won a $10 gold eagle coronet head in MS62 for my gold type set. In my mind and twisted thinking I won that coin for only $220+ fees because the first $500 was "house money".... now is this twisted thinking or have any of you done the same? Maybe it's just me and I should get some help.........
    Here's the obverse of my 1945-D Walker MS67...

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  11. jackson64

    Is My Coin "Too Good"

    By jackson64,

    Okay, I may have screwed up a bit. I have bought a few of the coins for my Washington album already slabbed and have had to liberate them for my album.
    The primary reason for this is that a few of the pricier ones I was able to get at a very good price in the grades I wanted and as a plus I got the added insurance with the purchase of knowing they weren't cleaned or had issues I couldn't see with the seller's pictures. I am down to just the final 3 or 4 holes in my Washington album. The final slots are not particularly challenging to fill, I just was looking for nicer detailed coins at a good price. Some of these coins I found in BU grade for little above melt cost and others I found in XF or even VF+ quality for some lower mintage issues.
    The final 4 coins needed are the 1940-D, 1947-S, 51-S and 52-S, none of which are rare or even particularly scarce--they just happen to be the last 4 holes by random chance. Much of the album was filled with some strategy behind it. I started by buying 2 incomplete albums and taking the decent coins and adding to my singular set. Next came a process of buying the P, D and S together of the same year which got me some great 3 BU runs with some and 3 circulated coins with others.
    Whittling away any group dates I could ( the prices are significantly better when purchasing 3 coins for an $8-10 cost per coin as opposed to the asking prices of $15-25 often for single slot fillers.) I finally have ended with these four. I tried hunting for the 51-S and 52-S together but there aren't any groups of these 2 dates. I did find some larger lots which I might purchase and can resell the 51 P& D and 52 P & D and make my purchase for the S mint coins a good bargain.
    My "mess up" was with the 47-S. I couldn't find any group lots of this issue and started looking for just nice single coins at reasonable prices. Most raw BU coins were in the $20 range listed which is about the pricelist costs of $17 for a 63 and $28 for a 64---but low and behold I threw out a wild flyer bid of $30 for an NGC MS66 that was attracting my eye. I actually won the MS66 for an unbelievable $24.50 --I was pretty excited to get a $60 coin for under $25 but when it arrived there was a bit of a conundrum. The coin is almost too nice to break out and stick in an album. If I don't crack it out I'll have to buy another and then what to do with a single slabbed Washington quarter?
    I already have way too many coins that aren't a part of any set but were just too attractive and well-priced to pass up, so I will eventually crack it out and plug the hole in my album--but for now, I'm just leaving it on my desk and enjoying it....
     
    Here's some pics--It is more of a personal taste thing and I know many here won't see it the way I do, as I love the peachy/rose blush overall on the obverse and the reverse has blotches of really vibrant emerald greens, turquoise and purples...a fun coin but it may skew the "balance" of that page in my album. Oh well, if I have to upgrade a few of the surrounding coins on the page to give the overall look a better blend then that is what I'll do...happy hunting everyone......


  12. jackson64

    Just Because

    By jackson64,

    sometimes there is no reason
    I'll keep this journal entry short and sweet.
    The title refers to my latest purchase. The coin fits no set; it is in an old series, small ANACS holder; it can't even be listed into my registry coin manager to be added into my overall collection.
    I bought it "just because." If I must give a reason, it was for the simple enjoyment of holding it in my hand and looking at it through a loupe and turning it under the light and watching the different colors appear and disappear as the light hit at different angles. Maybe someday I will cross it over into an NGC slab and see if it may garner a "star" to go with the MS65 grade--but then again, these old ANACS slabs are getting scarcer as the years go past so I may just leave it as is.
    The other coin venture I'm involved in has hit a big snag. If you remember when I last wrote, I was involved in selling a large estate of modern coins. I had done very well with the gold and platinum coin submissions. I had sold much of the mint wrapped rolls to fellow collector six mile rick, several of the gold commems and buffalos but not nearly half of the hoard.
    The snag? The huge silver and gold paper price manipulation on WS has really dropped the market price of silver & gold ( even though the mint is sold out of ASE's for the year) --at one point down to $15.20 an ounce for silver--not a sellers market. Most of what I have to sell are the Silver Commem dollars from 1982 thru 2012--every issue, silver proof sets from 1992 thru 2012 ( about 5 of each)and lots of other silver and gold mint issued sets. I have let the owner of the coins/estate know the issue and they decided to just set the selling aside until the pendulum swings back.
    So that's it. Selling of the estate coins are on hold for now. I'm going out of the country for 2 weeks anyhow and then the holidays will be here taking my time. It is quite likely that my odd purchase may be my last for a while ( unless one of my "really want list" coins pops up). Here's a picture of my newest Walker-- a 1941 common date, anacs slabbed and graded MS65.....

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  13. jackson64

    Maddening Modern Collecting

    By jackson64,


    Moderns
    Numismatics has been a part of my life for decades, sometimes very involved and others not so much. I repeat this tired, old mantra for the simple point that collecting has REALLY changed over time. From brick and mortar coin shoppes to coins in the Sears catalog, thumb busters at the bookstores and finding silver or wheaties in pocket change, we've really come a long way- and much of it for the better.
    One thing I do find maddening is the collecting of a simple modern "set." Those of you who collect the Silver American Eagles know exactly what I mean. One=per-year date sets are a relic of the past, if you also collect the "full" series including proofs then it gets nuts. You now have burnished coins, enhanced finish coins, reverse proofs, coins with different mints, some with no identifying mintmarks but must be certified in a sealed box, anniversary sets and even a top prize proof that was sold in a separate mint offering with a valuable W on it.
    However the most maddening set this P,D,S classic coin collector has encountered has got to be the Canada $2 "Twonie" series. I should have known at the beginning when they issued the regular cuni issue, a special gold issue and an oversized Pierfort silver issue. It doesn't help matters that it is a bi-metallic coin giving the creative desiggners even more options. I'm not going to run through every year or change as I could write a small book ( now there's an idea!) but just some of the variations you'll find in a supposedly annual, circulation series coin.
    There have been design modifications for the aging of the queen, there are special issues for the millennium, queen anniversary, nunuvats and coin anniversarys-- there are gold, silver clad, silver 92.5%, silver 99.9%, gold inner circle with silver ring, gold outer ring and white gold inner circle etc etc. The problem often is multiple proof sets and each has a different metal composition on the $2 coin. The alloy coins of nickel outer ring and brass inner ring are sporadic, many years have just the alloy, others just the silver/gold gilt, and some years have 3 or even 4 different metal configurations with gold, gilt, clad, alloy, silver combos.
    Some collectors act almost as hoarders, purchasing every beautiful coin they see and simultaneously having a dozen or more incomplete sets "they are working on." I have about 12 series in my registry page and about 8 of these are complete. I also have 5 or 6 series that I've completed but never added to the registry. Then I also still have multiple coin albums I've completed but still will upgrade on occasion if the price is right. 
    I probably fall on the opposite end of the spectrum from the "hoarder collector" as I have this innate desire to create order with my collecting-- maybe a touch of OCD? This is why the $2 series is so maddening for me, it seems as if I can't complete it or stay caught up. Just when I think I have caught up to the current year it seems an older, obscure "alloy" issue or multi-color, colored or anniversary issue has been added for a back year.
    I've decided to make one final push to get the set to 100% through 2021- this has involved purchasing a 5 oz $2 coin, several older proof sets which have the obscure alloy versions of certain dates and a few "anniversary sets". I'll have them all in hand in the next few weeks and send them off for slabbing. Then I'll take a sigh of satisfaction-- and hope that 2022 does not bring out 5 separate issues for this series!

  14. jackson64
    coins are not easily liquid
    I am foremost a collector....
    Having said that, I also try and buy with a respect to the idea that coins, unlike my other major hobbies of fishing, boating and vegetable gardening, have a definite monetary return potential. Well I don't have to tell most of you that we as a country are going through some tough economic times.
    I have seen many mentions here in the journals and also on the chat boards of people who have hit rough times and have had to sell some or even most of their collections. I have been blessed because my wife and I are both in the medical field and are mostly recession proof in our jobs ( unless, of course the government takes that over and screws it up like they do everything else). I won't get started on that..but I did want to mention a major error in my thinking.
    I've always thought that my coins would be easy to liquidate...this may be true to a degree, but only if you are willing to lose a great deal of money. I have seen several collectors needing a quick cash infusion and losing their shirts on sales recently--especially on modern issues. What have I learned?
    I have learned that older coins retain value and slowly increase over time.
    I have learned that moderns, unless you are committed to getting a #1 ranked registry set, are best purchase in MS&PF 69.
    I have learned that to truly "profit" from coins you really need to hold them for at least 10 years and ideally 20+ years.
    I have learned that buying coins, then re-selling those to buy other coins and then changing your taste and selling those and starting a different set only profits the auction companies( who charge both to buy and sell), the post office and possibly grading services as some people crack out coins or re-submit for a shot at higher grades.
    I recently saw a board member mention he was selling a complete set of state quarters--silver and clad--in PF70UCAM for $21,000...that may be the "list value" for the entire set, however I did some research and hunting and found that I could assemble the entire proof 70 set, all 100 coins, for between $4,000-5,000 !!
    I recently tried to sell a few coins quickly ( doubles and random coins not in sets) because I wanted to put a downpayment and reserve a $2000 coin that I didn't have the full amount for at this time....the result? Nobody is really buying--even at half the list price !!
    So I've determined, that unless I want to practically give coins away, the best bet is to send my coins to a major auction house when I'm ready to sell some. It may take a lot longer to get the money in my account..but coins are not the potential source of "quick cash" that I thought they were ( if needed), especially when luxury items like a coin collection get pushed to the back-burner during recessive periods.
    Just some thoughts and I hope I didn't bum some of you readers out...on the bright side? I have been able to purchase some beautiful coins, like this Dolly Madison, already slabbed and graded, for less than the cost that the mint was selling them for raw...

  15. jackson64

    Massive Coin Hoard

    By jackson64,

    not mine, but I get to catalog it..
    Yes it is true..I am lucky enough to be the first person to go through this stash/hoard in around 20 years. If I may, a little background first......
    One of my fishing buddies K*** is independently wealthy, I've never asked what he did for a living or where it came from, but he is nearing 50 and has been "retired" for as long as I've known him. One of our long-time friends is B**, an older gentleman who used to teach sailing classes and navigation using astrological charts ( a lost art with GPS). He is around 70 and retired to the Florida coast 5 years ago. B** does sail up to Maryland every spring however and spends his summers docked at K***'s boathouse and visiting friends and family. Unfortunately about 3 weeks ago B**'s brother died and he has been handling all the affairs since he is also sole beneficiary...and here's the part I'm sure everyone would like me to get to...his brother had a stash !!
    On a recent day catching some Rockfish ( striped bass to you non-Marylanders) and Mackerel, B** said "are you still doing the stuff with coins?" I told him yes, whenever I could..and he told me that when we got back to K***'s house that he had some coins he wanted me to look at that he had gotten from his brothers garage.
    I agreed, however I must admit that I've heard this enough to already envision a tin can or two of worn mercs,wheaties, mixed foreign coins and maybe a 1921 Morgan at best.
    When we went into K***'s basement (where much of the contents of B***'s late brothers house now resides)..there were 5 jumbo tool boxes with padlocks. I went to lift one to put it in the middle of the floor and nearly threw my back out !! After unlocking and opening just the first toolbox I think I stood there stunned, motionless and holding my breath for at least a minute...finally with an explosive gasp I just said WOW !! Thousands of coins of all sizes, denominations, mintpacks, flips, 2X2's, ..
    So we sat down and decided to talk first about what to do with them....
     
    This is running a bit long so I will update you on my progress in cataloging the hoard in a day or two and what B** decided to do with them...for now, to whet your appetite and show that I am not exaggerating...a picture..
    The first pic is just the top tray in one of the tool boxes, the second pic shows the stacks of tool boxes filled with to bursting, and the final/bottom pic is my feeble first attempt at just sorting the first few hundred BU Silver Dollars...
    PS: if anyone from NGC reads these, I hope you have bulk rates....

  16. jackson64
    approaching holiday has me reminiscing
    As the Memorial Day holiday weekend approaches I have seen some great articles and programs on the remarkable men {and women} who have given so much to insure the liberty and freedoms that we have in this great nation.
    My father was one who served, and among my treasures are his 2 overseas service medals and a purple heart. Amazing to me was that he got the second overseas medal AFTER he got the purple heart.
    I have been asked many times about my passion for coins with ship themes, and I think that it goes way back to my dad. Of all my father's passions his greatest had to be the water and fishing. I have had the great fortune to have lived most of my life in Maryland. Besides being on the Atlantic Ocean {the worlds largest ocean} I live 5 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay {the largest bay/estuary in the western hemisphere} and the Potomac River {longest river on the east coast}.
    Easily the fondest memories of my childhood are those weekends in the spring through fall when my dad would pack up his fishing gear and we would head out for an over-nighter to one of his many fishing spots. His favorite was always Point Lookout- which used to be a civil war prison camp that had an outbreak of bubonic plaque and was burned to the ground-along with all of the soldiers.Point Lookout is now a state park and still has an out of time feel to it..and of course there are the legends of the hauntings... Located at the wide mouth of the Potomac where it dumps into the Chesapeake, often I would see large ships passing by out in the channel...and just as kids may gaze at an airplane far above and wonder where it was going and came from, I would have thoughts of great voyages across the ocean...whales, storms, and exotic far away lands. Sometimes on these fishing excursions we would stop to visit historical places on the way...Ft McHenry in the Baltimore harbor {where the star spangled banner was written}..Dr Mudd's house...St Mary's City where the Ships the Ark and The Dove arrived in 1632 with Lord Calvert and established the first Maryland colony..and many others.
    As I grew older and my parents finances improved my dad bought a small boat. Great for the rivers and the bay on calm days, that boat stirred in me something that still burns today. I love standing behind the wheel of my modest boat...running it full tilt...and the wind whipping across my face...grinning like a little kid. Sometimes I can never be sure if the tears streaming from my eyes are from the force of the wind or pure joy from the feeling of freedom my spirit feels.
    I love the romantic ideal of those giant wooden ships creaking in the waves, whether for exploration of the unknown, carrying settlers to promises of a better life, or even pirates drinking their rum and heading to a tropical island to stash their ill-gotten fortune.
    How cool is it that two things that I have a passion for...sailing /ships/waters and numismatics can be enjoyed together as I continue to build my High Seas signature set. It was my mother who gave me her old mercury dimes and buffalo nickels--none rare or valuable---that fascinated me and hooked me on the beauty and artistry of coins. However my greatest love is being out on the water with no land in sight and just shutting everything off and listening....
    It has been almost 8 years since my father passed and I would love nothing more than to spend a quiet day with him..with very few words spoken..as comfortable fishing companions do. I have only visited his grave a few times, I know he would prefer that my mom, 3 sisters and myself spend our time with thoughts of living. However, on Monday I will get up early and go place a flag and a photo I have of the 50 pound yellowfin I caught last month on a charter trip at his grave. Then to honor his wishes and the legacy he left me, I will hurry home...hook up the boat..and get out on the bay....

  17. jackson64

    Micro-S Walker Variety?

    By jackson64,

    searching and then researching.....
    First I want to thank everyone who sent me messages and also commented in the coin forum concerning my last journal entry. It really is my friends and fellow collectors at this site that have added so much more to my collecting via the registry in recent years.
    So last I wrote I had purchased 100 circulated Walker halves. Well there were no major varieties as I studied them--in fact the Walker series actually has very few primary cherrypicks--the 1946 doubled reverse, the hand-carved designers' AW..and some common doubling on the 1942 and 1943. I did notice something as I was inspecting the coins that wasn't in Fivaz/Cherrypickers Guide or listed in NGC or PCGS variety lists. As I searched the coins, full of S minted coins, there were 6 coins dated 1942-S.
    Upon further inspection I noticed that 5 of the coins had a standard sized S that also matched my 2 certified 42-S coins I have registered. The other coin however had a tiny little S that needed all the power of my 20x loupe to see clearly. I looked again and there is no mistaking--an obvious size difference with one of the mintmarks being a "micro" S.
    Well as any avid collector would, I got very excited thinking I had made a discovery worthy of numismatic news! As visions of a Coin World headline danced in my head, ( "Maryland Collector Discovers Unique Walker Micro-S !!"). My inspecting of coins quickly turned into researching. The more I didn't find any mention, the more excited I became.
    Oh well, in the end I found a reference- in fact, a complete bubble bursting explanation. Of all places to find it, after looking through specialty books and websites, in the end, the info was found in a Redbook !
    It seems that after 1916 the branch mints made a deliberate effort to make mintmark size uniform--and the size was to be a small mintmark. However in 1941 the San Fran mint decided to increase the size of the mintmarks to a larger and more legible S. The pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters were changed--yet the Half Dollars were not changed until mid-1942. So there are both small and large mintmark varieties of 1942-S halves..simple explanation and no headlines for me.
    This did get me thinking though. Who decides if the large and small S mintmarks should be collected sepewrately in a set? I mean, most albums and registries include a 1945-S and 1945-micro-S dime, right? ( I know that the 45 micro-S is an unusual case since the micros were an accident when the mint used a die punch to add a mintmark that was meant for war era Phillipine coinage). But my question remains valid.....
    If I currently possess 8 total 1942-S coins and only 1 is a "micro/small" S variety--then isn't this a hard variety to obtain? I know that 8 coins is a small sampling, and far from scientific, yet what if there are only a few hundred thousand out there of this type?
    I guess I'll never know--just like I'll never understand why certain series bold strikes get special designation like FBL, Full Head, Full Torch..and cost huge premiums, yet other series, Walkers for instance. Collectors hunt for full strike and pay premiums for well struck coins with "Full Seperate Thumbs"..yet this is not a special designation you'll ever see on a slab or grade criteria. It's just as well, all I need is for the cost of the coins I like to triple just because the strike is complete...
    Here's a picture of 2 of the 1942-S coins. The difference in size is even more apparent to the naked eye because one S can be made out without a loupe and the other looks like barely a dot....

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  18. jackson64
    what a strange odyssey
    I hope that my collecting friend "Electric Peak" forgives my play on his title. I also attended the Baltimore Show this weekend (Saturday) yet my story starts a few days prior to that.
    You see, about a week ago, while browsing a few more of the obscure coin sites on my "Favorites" page--I came across a 1939-S Walker graded MS67 that really caught my eye. The price was substantial for my modest collecting habits so I thought I'd solicit some opinions from other collectors. I posted images from the website on the NGC Chat Boards to see if others also thought it was solid for the grade. The majority guessed the grade as it was posted on the slab so I decided to pull the trigger....and this is where the Mis-Adventure begins...
    When I went back to the website to seize my prize--it was listed as SOLD...ugh !! I had hesitated and lost, however the story does not end there. So off I go on Saturday morning to the Baltimore/Whitman Coin Expo. I decided to take with me one blank check and $500 cash. Well I walked from table after table on the bourse, casually glancing at the Walkers in the cases. Most were actually in lower collector grades than I was looking for but each time I'd see one that I needed for a slot and in the grade I want to fill that slot with I would ask to see it...
    I patiently and methodically continued on...keeping in my mind the 2-3 possibilities that I may go back and take another look at. All the while I was determined to search each dealer's case before I jumped on anything ( after all, I had only brought one check). Well the best laid plans as they say......I came across a beautifully golden-toned and supremely struck 1940 MS67. The coin has a bold thumb, full trailing leg feathers on the reverse, seperated face/hair/cap lines..and nary a contact mark to be seen...seriously, I'm very conservative with my Walker grading and even I could see this coin in an MS68 holder...I flipped it over and the price was actually VERY fair...I asked the dealer how firm the price was and he quoted me another price $125 less than the sticker...I asked him if he'd take a check !! And so the deal was done--yet the story was not over !
    My newest prize tucked safely away, I figured I'd walk around and check out some circulated but slabbed Barber Halves for my Fine to Very Fine grade set ( after all, I still had my cash). Well about another 10 tables down I came across the dealer who had previously listed on his webpage the 1939-S I had wanted. It turns out that the coin was not actually SOLD at all...grrrrr...he had removed it from the webpage in order to bring it to the show and prevent the chance of double selling it.
    I mentioned to him that I was about to pull the trigger on the purchase when I discovered that it was not for sale anymore--well we exchanged numbers and I hope to contact him when he returns home from Baltimore and negotiate a deal on the 39-S..but as of now it has been very discombobulat5ed..and all my own fault because I mistrusted my own eye and sought others opinions....
    So once again I learn the same lesson again...collect what you like and even if you pay a few extra bucks it is worth it if you'll love the coin. And conversely, I shouldn't buy a coin I don't like even if the price is cheap...
    But, it wasn't a total loss...I may still end up with my 39-S and I got a 1940 that I will treasure for as long as I own it...

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  19. jackson64

    Missed Again

    By jackson64,

    where are they all?
    Well once again I tried to win a 1913-S type 2 Buffalo nickel and failed. I can't believe it is this hard to find a decent one. There were over 1.2 million minted, many buffs have similar mintages {the 26-S and 31-S both have lower} and they are not hard to find.
    The problem is that I've been trying to fill the last hole in a nice buff album I've assembled. The album has many nice BU coins I've gotten for $100 or less {many from crack outs of slabs} but the criteria I have is simply a readable 4 digit date, no acid treatment, no corrosion/nicks/scratches/rim damage..just a nice problem free coin.
    I have paid more for a few of the keys but the 13-S T2 puts me in a tough spot. Most unslabbed coins are uglier than I want-not to mention I'm not paying $250-300 for a coin that requires a magnifying glass to discern the date. The VF grade coin I would like to fill the hole with has usually been slabbed. I may be crazy cracking open slabs to fill an album, but even I am hesitant in cracking out a $400-500 coin for a hole filler.
    Every once in a while I see a quality example, not slabbed or treated and I watch it like a hawk. What really ticks me off is that the coin I had my eye on today was hovering at around $270 with 15 mins left. I waited and bid $321 with about a minute left. This was the max amount that I wanted to pay for this coin.I was outbid in the end-BY a DEALER!!! I get frustrated as a collector, when so many decent deals get ruined by people who buy these coins and then re-list them to make $10..
    I guess in the end I may just set aside $500 for the nicest one I can find {hopefully an XF+ or AU} and just fill that darn hole and be done with it. I usually am pretty patient-waiting for coins that are undergraded or have great strikes or luster for the grade-but this has been over a year for this one coin to finish this set and my patience is wearing thin.
    I have my eyes on 2 ANACS 13-S T2's and 1 NGC, and if the price stays reasonable and I don't get sniped, I have my trusty Dremel all set to liberate my prize and fill that final hole in my album.
    I have really been studying grading lately and one of the aspects that I have been focusing on is luster. I had an MS65 and an MS66 Walker from my collection side by side-and even though they had equal strike and cleanness-the one coin looks a bit flat/white while this ones luster pops...this studying may save me some money in purchases and submissions...My 1942-D MS66..unfortunately ANACS so I can't register it but I won't be looking for another one to replace this fully struck beauty..

  20. jackson64
    Not an April Folls joke
    I've heard just about every corny April fools reference you can imagine. It comes with the territory when your b-day falls on April 1st.....I guess there is an upside-people tend to always remember my birthday and I get plenty of phone calls and well wishing emails.
    I'm not a curmudgeon about birthdays like some...they are not a huge deal but I do like to use them as a day of reflection, and to take a moment to acknowledge the wonderful graciousness of God who has allowed me another year. It's a good day to do a bit of a gratitude list...
    I never really ask for any birthday gifts...just a nice dinner with my family is great. Besides, what I really want--a 1941-S Walker in MS66 grade (with full skirt lines)..might be a little much to ask for...
    I did get a nice birthday package from NGC today....the return of my last submission. I finally have my 1927A Bremerhaven/Germany/Weimar Republic coin in a slab and in my possesion !! I also have added a total of 9 new coins to my High Seas signature set...this will leave me plenty of work with imaging, researching descriptions etc...this is a nice part of the hobby for me also and it doesn't drive the bank balance down either..
    This is a bit of a slow time in the year for my numismatic pursuits...It is spring and my other hobbies have been taking away a lot of my free time. I need to clean out the tackle box and put new line on my fishing rods. The boat needs a few screws replaced, caulking touched up, some wood re-stained and varnished..etc etc...I also have a tiny greenhouse attached to my shed. I seed a bunch of flats of vegetables for my veggie garden. I have turned the dirt in the garden-mixing in my winters compost, some decayed leaves from the fall and raked it all out. When it's warm consistently I'll put my little seedlings in the garden and have another of my hobby/pastimes in place for summer...
    So although I am a year older, I look forward to every new year and each new season and the wonderful hobbies that I enjoy that partially make up who I am. Well enough from me for now--it's a beautiful 60 degree day out and I've promised my wife that I would rake out the flower beds for her....
    Here's a picture of one of my new slabs..from the Seychelles..a tribute to the Seychelles Olympic Sailing Team...a neat coin..

  21. jackson64

    My Coin Budget

    By jackson64,

    going overboard with buying...
    My wife and I rarely to never argue. Mostly it is because we both have pretty laid back temperments and most things in life aren't worth the drama. Also I think a large part is because we keep seperate bank accounts. We both have almost identical incomes so we divide the bills evenly and whatever extra we have is to spend at our discetion.
    A large part of my "leftover" money goes to coins. I have tried various methods to keep my spending in check and for the most part it has worked. I have a credit card that is my "Coin Credit Card". I only use it for coin purchases and I have finally maxed it out. Paying interest on coins is one sure way to lose any money you might have saved by finding a good deal.
    In about 2 weeks the Whitman Coin Convention is going to be held about an hour north of me in Baltimore. I just received a check for monies I was owed-enough to pay off my "coin credit card" completely. The problem is--I want to go to the show with cash in my pocket. Most of the dealers don't accept cards, so if I pay off the coin credit card then I won't have much money to get new coins.
    In the end I'll do what's right...pay off the card to "even up" for the coins I have in hand--but the coin addict in me really would like to go to the largest coin show in my area with $1-2K of spendable money burning a hole in my pocket.
    Oh well, the bright side is--by clearing my card, the on-line auctions are just waiting with lots of great coins to be had...
    my latest purchase--a 1933 "JUNK" dollar (the type of ship is a junk) from China--took me a while to find one that I could be sure was original and not a restrike or forgery...

  22. jackson64
    If you get Coin World/Trends, and read the guest commentary, my rebuttal letter to the editor was printed int he Aug. 7th issue...
    I haven't written here in my journal for a while and there really is a lot of personal collecting news to tell...too much for one journal entry so I'll break into several this next week.First, I recently was a bit outraged by a guest commentator{a history professor by trade}in the editorials.Often these pages are full of whinings about... the mints ordering system...third party graders inconsistencies...whether or not to ditch the penny...too many modern commemes, and their designs. The last one actually got me riled up enough to write my first ever letter to an editor. H e wrote a 2 part/week series on the slow decline in the state quarter designs both artistically but mainly historically. I could have written a five week rebuttal to his foolishness, but the quick and trimmed{by myself for space sake} response was sent to the Editor of Coin World magazine...just to voice my opinion, and clear up a few facts..I was pleasantly surprised earlier this week to open its' pages and find my reponse printed.I will file this in a special place along with my registry awards and the personal letter I received from Q David Bowers for some input I gave him on the 1866 and 1867 shield proof nickels in his lsat book...{which he thanked me but didn't use......anyhow..I hope you all either subscribe to Coin World and can read it..or look it up on-line and peruse it...JAX..Jackson
  23. jackson64
    I found my old Lincoln Cent album
    Like many people I have moved several times in my adult life. Some moves have been because of work, some to cut down on commute time, and even once for just a 3 year hiatus in my early 20's to south Florida for the heck of it. As a result of these moves I have boxes of stuff that have followed me in my travels and usually end up unopened in an attic, garage, basement or closet at my new location. I have been at my current address for over 10 years now and decided to clean out some stuff in my garage to make room for a weight bench {which will be gathering dust in a month, I'm sure}. Going through an old box of yearbooks, High School athletic awards,old photos, Cal Ripken autographed baseball..I found mixed in my old penny album!! It is a Whitman fold-up book#2 with cents from 1940-present {which at the time was around 1978} Opening it up I saw three bright steel pennies-as shiny as ever-dated 1943, 43-D and 43-S. As I sat looking at them I remembered like it was yesterday the winter storm in 1979 and how I spent 3 days shoveling snow with my buddy Rusty for $5 for a driveway and sidewalk. I made about $30 between sledding and snowball fights and when the roads were clear enough and the stores re-opened I had my mom drive me to the coin store to buy these 3 pennies. Thirty years later, I still have those great memories of old friends, a mom who got me interested in coin collecting, snow days free from school, and all I had to do to return to those care-free days of my youth is open up my old penny album and gaze back in time..
  24. jackson64

    My End Of Year Review

    By jackson64,

    Some holes were filled, and some are still empty...
    Since the registry year runs from Dec.10th-Dec.10th, I guess it is not too early for me to consider my ups and downs for 2006 as a coin collector.First of all, the only sets I completed were done with 2006 updates to modern sets..ie the Sacagawea proof set and Silver/flag/proof state quarters. I did finish my Franklin half set in my Whitman album but my goal was to have an MS/FBL set..and a few of these are still a bit weak on the bell lines.I have reduced my magic number for a VF/VF+ buffalo nickel album to just 2 coins...13-S type 2 and 14-D..{surprise surprise}..half of the coins that I plugged into this buffalo set this year were cracked out of slabs..including a VF20 ANACS 1921-S { I know-insane..the coin just de-valued at least $100 bucks without the plastic holder}..anyhow, maybe next year I'll finish this set. I sold my complete Jefferson nickel proof set which was ranked #1 at this time last year. With less than a week left before the final rankings a PCGS member joined and beat my set by less than 100 points.As a supposed act of protest against the new/old nickel design I sold every one of them and almost lost my shirt{not the most popular series and with the pops of perfect 70's going up, the values just dove down}..however it could have just been a bit of resentment too. I started a Capped Bust Half Collection, bought the TOME on die varieties and decided it was a project best left for another time. I filled 2 of the last 3 holes in my gold 20 Francs Marianne/Rooster set..the 1902 and 1906..still need the 1899. I had 2 shots at the 1899 in proof to finish the set{one of my 2 signature sets} but lost out to floor bidders after winning the internet portion of the bidding.My biggest progress was made on my 2 favorite sets..my 1917 year set..only 1 spot to go!!..and my favorite set..my High Seas signature set. I have really loved putting together a set of my own design with no worry of points, upgrading,just my own tastes with my own interest and own comments of what I like about the coins that I CHOOSE to include. I am very pleased with the signature set aspect of this site and if I decide to abandon participating in the rankings, I will stay a member to enjoy the journal feature and signature sets.My newest fanaticism started about 2 months ago..Standing Liberty Quarters...I am working on an album set of XF+ for as many of them as I can..and will worry about those tough dates when that's all that is left..anyhow, a great coin year..a couple of shows, a few lucky finds, saw some old beloved coins leave and replaced by others.Now I have to consider my resolution/goals for my 2007 collecting.....hmmm..might involve a 1917 S obverse to go along with this D obverse...
    MVC-640S.J
  25. jackson64
    superb new edition to my set
    All this talk of TPG's got me thinking recently- and thinking is not always one of my strong suits. Some may consider me insane, especially since NOBODY collects anymore..only buying for the investment value-but I rely heavily on NGC, PCGS, and ANACS for my coins--the ones I crack out of their slabs and place in my album sets. I can always count on a top-quality coin being within a point either direction, of accurate grading. They are the best coins PERIOD to crack and put in a quality album. I'm not totally insane-rarely do I crack out a coin worth more than $200-300 {unless it's one of the final holes and a key date}
    Well I finally got one of the final 2 coins I needed to upgrade my Franklin half MS FBL collection and now all I need is a little arthritis medication and I'll have it in its new home in no time.....and as soon as I can find a decent 1913-S type 2 Buffalo nickel graded in the VF20/30 range by either of the true 3 TPG's then I have a nice little round home for it too...
     
    MVC-949S.J